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An official complaint has been made at the Houses of Parliament over inequality in the breakfast room (Picture: Rex/Getty)

Breakfast wars have broken out in Parliament over the ‘posh’ folk getting hot breakfasts while the Parliamentary police and workers have to make do on cold snacks.

The simmering resentment of staff who have to ‘wait for Lords and MPs to saunter into Parliament’ before they can get a proper breakfast has now led to an official complaint to the Speaker’s department.

One armed police officer told Metro.co.uk: ‘How are we supposed to defend British democracy on a croissant?

‘We can’t go to the The House of Lords for breakfast, it’s too far as it is the other side of the Parliamentary estate, so we have to wait for the Commons restaurants to open.

‘By then they are packed and we just do not have time to wait.’

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UNITE member and Senior Parliamentary Advisor to Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood, Elaina Cohen, is demanding hot breakfasts be available at 7am for all the workers who come in for early shifts, some of which start as early as 4am.

Policemen are complaining they need more than a croissant to defend democracy (Picture: Getty)

She said: ‘It stinks. This is the posh people with double-barrelled names getting to eat when they want and the army of workers who keep Parliament safe and clean being forced to live off croissants as they cannot get a hot breakfast.

‘The policemen are supposed to be defending our lives, they should be able to work on something more than a croissant or cold snack.’

Strangers Dining Room in the House of Commons (Picture: Parliament)

There are over 20 places to eat and buy food in the Parliamentary estate and the catering services in Parliament are subsidised so are cheaper than most other places in London.

These include the majestic grandeur of the Strangers Dining Room, which offers a £65 set meal comprising of classic British ingredients or the historic surroundings of The Pugin Room, which offers a cream tea for £9.95, down to the canteen in Portcullis House – the one most readily available to police and workers – which just serves up cold snacks and tea.

However, only a few of the outlets serve hot breakfasts, which causes long queues and recriminations.

One is the House of Lords River Restaurant, which opens at 7.30am and offers a full English breakfast for £3.70. Another is the House of Commons Terrace Restaurant, which opens at 8am and offers a hot breakfast (one egg, two rashers of bacon, two Cumberland sausage, a slice of buttered toast and tea or coffee) for £3.42.

However, police officers complain they cannot sit down with their guns for breakfast in the River or Terrace and other workers do not have the time to get over there.

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It means they are reduced to using the canteen in Portcullis House, which only serves cold snacks and croissants. The workers and police, some of whom start at 4am, want somewhere that serves a bacon sandwich.

Policemen who guard Parliament want a warm breakfast (Picture: Getty)

In a strongly worded email to Richard Tapner-Evans, who is in charge of food in Parliament, Ms Cohen outlined her complaints.

She said: ‘Arriving early to beat the rush hour traffic it is noticeable that the House of Commons is by 6.30am a hive of activity with not only parliamentary staff but valued workers in our support services such as the police, cleaning facilities and other departments.

‘Having carried out a focus group of opinion from everyone on the early morning shift, it is however a strong and united view the opening hours of catering facilities in the House of Commons do not meet the requirements necessary to feed the loyal army of dedicated workers that support the Members.

‘In the House of Lords (or “the posh place” as one hungry worker told me) a breakfast is served at 7.30am.’

Breakfast in the Commons Members Restaurant

Müller yoghurt 95p

Grapefruit half 75p

Assorted packet cereals 85p

Croissant 80p

She added: ‘As you are aware in Portcullis House only coffee, teas and a limited selection are available at this time and the terrace opens at 8am.’

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Ms Cohen is yet to receive a reply concerning her demands for hot breakfasts for police and workers.

The House of Commons Members Dining Room in Parliament (Picture: Parliament)

A House of Commons spokesman said: ‘The opening hours of the catering operations are designed to ensure the most efficient use of resources to avoid unnecessary additional costs to the taxpayer.

‘However the catering service welcomes feedback, and constantly reviews its policies and procedures as a result of feedback received.’

A House of Lords spokesman added: ‘Police and staff are welcome to dine in the River Restaurant.’